Once I loved you - Always
by Castleshortfiction
Summary: Castle and Beckett reach a crossroads in their relationship
1. Chapter 1

The crack in the well worn ceramic mug fascinated her. Just a chip really, slightly right of the handle. Her eyes lasered onto it, mesmerized on it in fact, and did not move even a facial muscle when her dining companion clearedhis throat. She had  
long ago tuned out her dad since he hit a nerve with his analysis of her situation. She is still mulling over his wisdom, trying to come to a resolution she can live with.

"You know, your whole life you've never had a relationship go this far. You know, right around here you always end them. Now why is that? Look, Katie, I know you. When you get scared you hide in your work. And I just want to be sure whatever decision  
you make,

it's because it's what you want. Not because you're afraid. "

She forces a smile knowing just how his right her father is.

"This job. It's what I want. " murmured in a whisper more so than as a true conviction

"Then tell him. "

"He's gonna hate me, Dad. "

"That's something you're going to have to live with. "

The chime of her phone startled her back to reality. That sound could mean only one person on the other side of the connection. Her eyes blurred with tears seeing that smiling face

"We need to talk". It said. She quickly hammered out

"Yes we do"

"Park with the swings good? Thirty minutes? Came the reply

Getting up, yelping as she caught her knee on the tabletop, she kissed her dad goodbye and scurried out if the diner not knowing what fate had in store for her.

The drive to the park has Kate replay in her head all the fears she admitted to her dad. He gave her a lot to chew on, serious considerations to be had on her part. But in her gut she knew what she wanted and no matter how many times she replayedthe  
heart to heart with her dad, her resolve did not falter, in fact it only grew stronger. Nevertheless that dialogue held a sharp poignancy. She could not shake it from her thoughts:

 _Looking up from her coffee, Kate smiles at her father, but she's not really happy. She waits for his words._

 _"So… what are you going to do? " putting the ball directly in her court_

 _"I don't know, Dad." she waits to garner his full attention "It's like I'm standing at a crossroads and I have to choose between two possible futures. " Her eyebrows furrow, knowing the enormity of thisdecision._

 _"Why do you think you have to choose?" Jim offers. Kate looks at him as if he knows something she doesn't_

 _"Because Dad, he's right. If I take this job, then there's not going to be time for anyone else, and then if I don't ..." she can't bear to finish the sentence_

 _"It'll be because of him and you'll end up resenting him for it." Jim completes it for her_

 _"Or" she looks down not able to meet his eyes "worse. Dad, I don't know what we have. I don't know if it's real. It's like we've been doing this dance for the past five years and … I mean, what happens when the music stops? That if all we were in love  
with was the dance?"_

Before she knew it, the park entrance appeared on her left.

It's the same park where they went to talk after she left him for the summer when she got shot. Where she decided to be with him, eventually. Pleading with him to be patient, to give her time and space. Her words reverberate from that dayvery clearly  
in her brain. Sadly, they still hold weight.

She gets out of her car and walks across the grass. Castle is not there yet much to her relief. She takes a swing slowing rocking back and forth, further deepening the crevice under her feet. She thinks of how much it reminds her ofthe swings of  
her childhood, before most parks decided on the rubber compost mats. She misses those simpler times, times she had her mom whomshe misses so much at this very moment.

Her boots obtain a light film of dust where her feet skim along the clay, scuffing the pointed toe of the expensive biker boots. But she doesn't care. The time alone allows her to reflect on the argument from two nights ago, hoping to smooththings  
over, hoping it isn't the end of them.

She sees it so clearly, yet does not really understand how it fell apart so quickly. They were so perfectly in love not so long ago when she totally fooled him with his surprise 40th birthday party. Then things spiraled downward untilshe almost  
believed they did not have a future together any longer. Her mind conjures up the play by play of the fateful fight.

 _Hepicks up her jacket that hung from her chair causing a thick piece of paper to fall out. Bending over, He picks it up and reads it._

 _Puzzled Castle inquired "What's this?"_

 _Beckett pays him no mind and keeps chopping vegetables for their dinner._

 _Absentmindedly she replies "What's what?"_

 _Castle holds up a paper Boarding pass. The one that tumbled out._

 _Her smile falters as she realizes what he is holding. Almost pleading she utters "Castle..."_

 _Castle is still trying to understand exactly what he is holding, trying not to incriminate his love "Did you fly to DC yesterday?"_

 _She puts down the knife and walks toward him, hoping beyond hope she can salvage this predicament without a huge fight. Her face does not think it is possible._

 _"Yes. I did. ". She finally confessed_

 _Why?_

 _Taking a long time to answer to ensure she can express herself correctly while disarming his growing anxiety "I was invited down for an interview. "_

 _A perplexed look creased his features as he is not sure what that means._

 _"What kind of interview?" is the best he can muster._

 _Sheepishly Kate clarified "For a position. With the Federal Task Force. "_

 _His confused scowl changed into one of hurt sprinkled with a healthy dose of anger "I'm sorry, you interviewed for another job in another city … and you didn't tell me?"_

 _Becoming somewhat miffed, bordering on losing a tight control of her emotions she offered a strained retort "I didn't tell you about it because it was just an interview and I knew you would be upset."_

 _She's trying to tread carefully but it's not working. Between seeing proverbial steam rising from Castle's ears and her ebbing self control she tried not to erupt this smoldering volcano. Castle offers no help._

 _He scoffs "Oh … yeah. Yeah. You're damn right I'm upset."_

 _"Castle, I just wanted to see what was out there. What's wrong with that? " she quickly shot back_

 _"What's wrong with it is that you hid it from me. In fact, you lied about it. I wouldn't do that to you." His rage barely contained._

 _"Castle, this isn't about you." Castle does not bother to hide his 'are you shitting me' look . Beckett continued nevertheless "This is about me. This is about my life."_

 _Exasperation replaces irritation as he chortled "So you're seriously considering this?"_

 _She is incredulous, her response laced with disbelief with his attitude "Yes! This is a wonderful opportunity. It'll be a chance to do more."_

 _Realization of the situation finally dawn on him "Without me!"_

 _She's momentarily speechless still unable to understand where he is coming from. She changed her tact, imploring him to see it from her point of view._

 _"Castle, please don't do this. Don't make this about us."_

 _Castle is not backing down. He knows he is right. He has no intention of sugar coating his venomous words "I'm sorry, tell me how this isn't about us. You get this job, you move to DC, I'll never see you. That's pretty much the end of our  
relationship, isn't it? "_

 _Beckett shakes her head realizing she is not penetrating his incredibly hard head "You don't know that. And I probably won't even get the job."_

 _Castle does not accept that premise, he knows she is extraordinary and will excel as a Fed. He also knows her independence and stubbornness will not permit her to accept anything less. Especially for a relationship._

 _"That's not the point.. His glare are like daggers "The point is, you knew what this could mean. And it didn't occur to you to include me." In a moment of clarity he realizes "Or worse, it did occur to you. And you chose not to.  
Now what does that say about us? " He moves to grab his coat, broader line dramatic "Not much, you ask me."_

 _He wants to continue, drive the point home further. He thinks of the argument he overheard at the Candella's house where Beckett chastised Will Sorenson for the exact same thing she has done. No, he told himself, I am not that cruel, I am  
pissed, he admits, but more so he still loves her, to him still still is Always? He cannot punish her by dragging up that pain._

 _Exasperated, Beckett sighs before turning to face him._

 _"Castle." Imploring him to understand_

 _He pauses for a moment before realizing he is on the verge of exploding. Taming his emotions enough to spit out "I can't be here right now."_

 _He takes his jacket and marches past her to the door. She sighs knowing he needs space, to work things out in his head, to come to his senses. Being that may she doesn't try to stop him_

 _Once the door shuts, surprised there was no slam, she let her mind entertain the thoughts she kept bottled up during their brawl._

Sitting there, swinging lightly, those same reflections storm back to haunt her.

"Didn't he always want the best for her? Her ideal job? And what about Always? She is on the verge of a breakdown and they haven't even met yet."

She doesn't acknowledge him when he takes the swing facing her. It's a long moment before anyone speaks. Finally Kate breaks the ice.

"I'm sorry." she sighs quite noticably, "I shouldn't have kept secrets."

"It's who you are. You don't let people in. I've had to scratch and claw for every inch." Castle says in resignation.

"Castle" she implores

Raising a hand to stop her, he practically begs to continue:

"Please let me finish. "

He looks up to find she is staying silent allowing him to continue this stream of consciousness:

"I've been doing a lot of thinking about us. About our relationship, what we have, where we're headed." He ruefully shakes his head "I've decided I want more."

She nods in agreement to the obvious line and tries to protect herself. She can't stem her feeling of doom.

He continues "We both deserve more."

It takes her a second to digest his meaning. It surprises her that his tone hurts her so much more than she thought.

Meekly she nods in concurrence "I agree."

Barely taking a breath, Castle further extrapolates:

"So whatever happens, and whatever you decide, Katherine Houghton Beckett"

He steels himself against disappointment and drops off his swing onto his knee extending his right hand holding out a ring:

"Will you marry me?"

His hands are extended far too long for a normal proposal but the again when have they ever done anything normal? The torn anterior cruciate ligament in the right knee from that fateful ski trip throbs the longer he is in contact with the ground.

His features slowly dissolve from unabashed hopefulness to a mixture of dread and disappointment. It really is taking her far too long to give a proper reply. He sees the words forming on her lips, subtle but sure. Hoping for

a smiling parting of the lips in the affirmative he only sees the roundness of the mouth surely indicating a negative response.

No...t yet". Kate stammers out.

Castle is still mesmerized on her mouth contortions only heard the first syllable, not the entire sentence and his brain goes into shut down mode. Obviously his English to Castle translator converted 'not yet' into 'NYET' spinning her word intoRussian  
involuntarily.

" Let's revisit that question when I am done training in three months. " plastering a fake smile that he readily detects "We'll have a better grasp of my assignment and even whether we need to do the long distance thing, with any luck, I could geta  
New York desk."

She saw the look of dejection carved into his ruggedly handsome features. Finally, with a deep grimace now intrenched on his face, Rick climbed back into the swing, grasping Kate's hands searching her features for some hope, some morsel of promise.  
/He found none.

Now that she provided her answer, however ambiguous, the parting words of her dad haunt her:

"It's something you're going to have to live with."

Dropping her head, she is still not sure if she can, live with putting Castle off, making him wait even longer, this time without her to work with, to be near to share their lives, as partners, as close friends, not to mention lovers. Before shecan  
give Castle a chance to weigh in on her ultimatum, her phone beeps. It's a text from the precinct. In bold caps it simply reads "suspect in custody – ready for interrogation".

Once again it's Ryan who interrupts them with a text asking Beckett to come back to the twelfth as they captured their prime suspect.

All she can do is barely whisper "My last case. I better go end it."

Castle does not follow her, he does not even look up as she kisses his cheek goodbye with a promise to see him later.

Resigned to her fate, She sighs heavily as each step takes her further away from Always.


	2. Chapter 2

Long steady strides carry the tall slender detective across the freshly cut late spring lawn. As she approached her cruiser, she allows herself a glance back, feeling a solitary tear tumble down her cheek. Involuntarily she indulges

in wallowing in self pity as her eyes zero in on the sole figure still sitting on the leather strap between two long chains. All she can think of is his words so long ago:

"It's too bad. It would've been great"

An unseasonably cool chilling wind sweeps a north east pattern brushing past Kate who instinctively pulls her coat tighter across her. Mother Nature did her job snapping Beckett out of her melancholy. Transforming from broken-hearted Kate

to badass detective Beckett, she pulls open the drivers door, slides behind the wheel and slams it shut. The ignition key turns firing the eight cylinder beast to life, screeching and tread marks ensue as she peels out of the parking spot heading

/towards getting justice for another family.

If anyone witnessing this scene knew this member of NYPD's finest, they would have pity on the poor suspect!

He never needed to lookup to know she was gone. He heard the car door open and close, the car start, the tires squeal. Only 5th avenue stood between her and the perp. Part of him was so proud of her, brimming with admiration of just

how dedicated and driven to closure she was.

The other part could just sit on the swing, head in hands, elbows on knees and fight the tears welling over the love he may have lost.

And he does sit there. Who knows how long? An hour? The playground is empty now, not that there were many here before. A sign ten feet ahead, hanging askew, mandates the park closes at dusk. He has no intention of staying

that late, but makes no effort to consider the actual time.

He knows it is colder now and not just because the love of his life departed. A second brisk breeze cuts through the playground and Rick's light windbreaker offers no help. Yet despite it all, or maybe because of it all, he stays glued to

the swing, pondering, wishing, hoping, praying and everything else except he's forgotten why he can't move from there, then move on.

His despondency shatters when a nightstick belonging to a constable on patrol poked his ribs gently. Upon a second poke, Rick's anger fairs up and he spins to come face to face with a man in blue and his female partner. He knows them

and they have seen his around, on billboards, sides of busses, plastered to the plexiglass of the subway dividers but especially from the steady stream of nonsense printed on page 6.

He winces as the female cop taps the park sign, producing a piercing tinny sound that accentuates the now recognized throbbing in his head. Raising his index finger gingerly, he silently is begging for a moment. Rising from his strap much

to the relief of his gluteus Maximus, he thanks the officers profusely for the reminder and their overall service. Slowly he escaped via the south gate of the park.

-KB-RC-

Slapping the horn for the third time in the last four minutes, traveling a grand total of 58 feet, her arrival time at the precinct continues to shift later and later. Impulsively she reaches down for her gumball fully intending to use it to separate  
/the cars and sneak through. Much to her dismay, she forgotten her crown Vic had been upgraded to have the lights embedded in the windshield.

Flicking on the siren and lights gets her a full tire toll forward. "Ughhhh ". She stunts, frustration mounting. Pulling out her cell phone, she calls Espo to explain her delay. Espo reassures her that he and Ryan will be still around

for her when she finally shows up. Those are two great partners and sadness seeps in knowing this is the end of their run together.

"It would not be so bad to ice him awhile" she justifies to herself. "Might make the confession easier to get"

Another several moments pass and Kate realizes she made it to a cross street and by some minor miracle it appears desolate. Rolling through the stop signs she makes it past three red octagons before the traffic snarl returns. An impromptu

right followed my a hurried left freed Kate once more and within striking distance of the hallowed halls of the precinct.

-KB-RC -

Upon leaving the playground under the supervision of the patrolman, Rick forgoes a cab, opting to walk home despite the twenty plus blocks and the frosty conditions. Rick surmises the temp has dropped a good ten to twelve degrees as the sun descends  
/down its backdrop of blue. He does not feel the cold even being inadequately dressed, no, he is just plain numb, all feeling has left his body.

Five blocks south he realized he was wrong, his light jacket providing no protection against the whipping wind. A single malt sounded really good but the Old Haunt is teasingly out of reach. Rick ducked into a coffee shop instead and when

his turn came up, he placed his order.

Stopping at the crosswalk on 16th street, Rick finally realized what he done. Looking down he sees each hand encircle a large travel cup with a small promotional bad hanging off his right hand that he is sure holds a bear claw. He smile ruefully,

wishing more than anything, he could deposit his purchase on her desk, settle into the chair that has become him and finish this case.

He continued strolling south, alternating blowing on and sipping his cappuccino. As he stopped at the corner of 14th street, waiting for the little white guy to grant permission to cross, a glint of sun caught his eye. Turning to his

right and facing west, he surveyed the span of the thoroughfare.

"Woah, that at is so cool!" He blurted out as he marveled at the sight.

Right at the end of 14th street, nestled between two skyscrapers sat the golden sphere of heat as it sat over the Jersey mountains. Rick took out his iPhone and snapped several shots. He stood there in admiration of the marvel of nature, Manhattanhenge.  
/Oh he would love to be sharing this with his Kate, if she only were really his.

His mind wandered back to the first time he experienced this phenomenon, experiencing it with a very young Alexis. With all the pompousness of a Hudson University professor, Rick regaled his daughter about this mystery.

" This is referred to as Manhattanhenge" he began "sometimes referred to as the Manhattan Solstice"

Alexis looks at him confused as any eight year old would, so he elaborated " it's an event during which the setting sun is aligned with the east–west streets between the buildings of the main street grid of Manhattan, New York City. "

He twisted her shoulders to point her up and down the passageway . Once he saw she grasped the concept, he continued his lecture

"This occurs twice a year, on dates evenly spaced around the summer solstice. The first Manhattanhenge occurs around the middle of May while the second occurs around the second week of July."

His daydream shattered when, once more, the elements got the better of him. As the twilight overtook the setting sun, Castle hailed a cab to finish his journey home.

-KB-RC-/

What should have been a 20 minute ride took nearly two hours. Blowing past the entrance of the underground parking garage, she skidded into a reserved spot near the entrance of the 12th, slapping the police placard into the dashboard in front of

the windshield. She was past frustrated, she was pissed. Pissed at her father for his theory of reason about her situation. Pissed at Lanie for flip-flopping her opinion regarding her battle royal pitting Castle versus DC,

pissed at Castle for throwing her for a loop by proposing instead of breaking up, hell just pissed at whatever deity reined their special kind of wrath upon her.

Unbuckling her seatbelt, she leaned her forehead upon the steering wheel while slapping heavily the dashboard.

she wants to say this is psyching herself up for the impending interrogation but if she is honest with herself, she knows better. A moment later she emerged from the car, full of the fury she fought to harness before obliterating another suspect.

Just a step or two from going in, Kate stops and sucks in a deep breath. She does it again, then a third. Nodding her head, it feels clear, ready. Habit forces her to scan the immediate area and that is when it hit her. The true

Magnificence of the Manhattan twilight. She is mesmerized by the canvas of streaking strokes of blues, purples, oranges and yellows set against a Stygian backround, a work of art worthy of the finest museums. The scene reminds her of a Dorothy

/Parker quote that now rings in her ears:

"As only New Yorkers know, if you can get through the twilight, you'll live through the night. "

And for some reason it gets her game face on. Restores her self confidence. With a swift heel turn she's inside the building heading for the elevator. It's confession time.

-KB-RC-/

Night had descended by the time he reached the loft. Martha spits him immediately and in her usual fanfare, offers her salutation, complete with the goblet of wine dancing in her hand like an orchestra conductor wand.

It takes a second glance to see her boy is somewhat distressed. She wraps her arms around him in consolation.

"I take it the park didn't go as you hoped?" Martha began

"Just tell me. How am I supposed to trust her? How am I even supposed to – to be in a relationship with her if she won't let me in? " his hurt fully evident.

They break their embrace and he is pacing the living room.

"Well, Richard ..."

"After everything that we've been through together, I ... I just don't understand."

"I hate to say it, kiddo, but I do. Look, the truth is, Katherine is a bright, ambitious woman. She should be interviewing for that job. " the darts his eyes are shooting tell her she hit the mark.

It's not what he wants to hear. Too soon and too painful.

"Whose side are you on?" Disappointed in her betrayal

"You want her to put you first when neither one of you knows where the relationship is going. Do you know how absurd that is? Did you propose as a last resort? Get the ring on the way? I mean, that is as bad as your not signing that check

for Alexis's program. " Martha refuses to back down

"This isn't about me." It's the best his best selling mind can generate

With a guffaw, Martha retorts :

"Are you sure? I know you. I know you say you love her, but darling, this is who she is. So is it possible that somewhere deep down inside, you don't think this is going to really work? Can you made it work? You must really consider

what you are truly proposing"

"And now, I will take my leave". As she swings a silk wrap across her shoulders and strides to the door "don't wait up!"

He collapses into the couch to brood more but it is short lived as Alexis bounds down the stairs with all the exuberance of her tween years. She finds that he had relocated to his office.

He knows her tells, knows what she wants and how she will butter him up. Grabbing his checkbook from the top left drawer and a pen from it stanchion on the desk, he swirled his right hand dramatically as he eloquently moved the tip from left to

right, finally declaring:

"There you are. I'm sorry it took me so long to write it. Go have fun."

Flashing a brilliant smile as she says "Thanks, Dad.!"

He sheaths his pen, tilts back in his chair and forces a smile. She stops and turns back to him seeing that his facials are much like those he generates for the lines and lines of autograph seekers at book signings. She knows something is wrong.

Hugging him she looked at him with concern.

"Dad, are you okay?"

"Yeah." Trying to hide his dispondancy

Always sharp as a tack, she counters "You seem sad. "

"No. I'm fine. "

He's not and she wants to make it better. Mistaking his distress as a lingering of the nightmare from Paris, she tries to sooth his open wound.

"It's only Costa Rica. I'll be back before you know it." Once again holding him close

"Oh, that's sweet. But no, it's not about that. It's uh ...something your grandmother told me. There comes a point in our lives when we have to stop fooling ourselves into thinking life's going to be the way we want it to be and start seeing things for  
/how they really are. " his words not soothing his daughter at all and absolutely painful to himself.

She breaks away, kisses his cheek. Then he is alone again.

-KB-RC-

Beckett leans into her desk in her normal fashon, butt resting on edge as she re-examines the murder board, digesting each tiny particle of information. Satisfied, she turns to her desk, collects the two folders placed there and finds her way to

the break room. Drawing out an expresso, she sits and reviews the contents. She knows everything about Martin Tillage, Colin Rigsdale's half-brother and the black sheep of the family. Closing the last one she stares ahead in contemplation

until Ryan interrupts.

"Been in the Box three hours now, running out of change for the soda machine"

Kate smiles, gets up and strides into interrogation room two. Ryan and Espo file into the observation area. This would be a show not to be missed. To that regard they speculate to each other as to why Castle is in absentia.

Kate does not utter a word before Tillage begins:

"So I was there. So what? I needed a place to stay for a couple of nights. Is that a crime?"

Her badass persona fully engages as she replies:

"No, but killing a girl is. What did you brother promise you, Martin? Respectability for the black sheep, a place at the family table ?"

"I told you. I've never seen this girl before in my life. You're wasting your time."

That sets her off. Her disdain for him not containable. She looks at him for a long moment, smartly choosing her words and plan of attack:

"Do you have any idea how many people have sat across that table and confessed their sins to me?"

He isn't as stupid as he looks and stays silent. "

"What makes you think that you're any different? Any smarter?" She looks around the interrogation room reverently, then begins circling him, like a tiger does to its prey.

"You've only been in this room for a couple hours. But this room..." she shakes her head understanding the enormity of this being her last interrogation here "this room has been my life. My home. And I will not let you sit there and lie to me in my own  
/home".

Slapping the folder she carried onto the metal table, she faces him and presents him with a paper.

"This is a partial print found at the crime scene in the victim's blood. It's a match to yours, Martin. Am I still wasting my time? "

She pulls out a chair and sits across from him. Intimidating him. Her eyes drill holes through him. She is fierce, unrelenting and knows she has the goods for a conviction,

"I've got enough to convict you. So the question is, how many years of your own life are you going to sacrifice for someone else's future? Or are you ready to deal?"

With her impassioned soliloquy complete, Kate rises from her chair, forcefully pushing it back by her calves, then turns to exit. Allowing herself the guilty pleasure, she swivels back to glare intensely once again seeing she put the fear of God

into him. Leaving satisfied , Beckett shuts the door to the interrogation room.

She walks through the bullpen slowly, methodically and takes in the room. She savors the view, her desk, Ryan's desk, Esposito's desk. Castle's chair. She acknowledges in her mind LT and every other uniform that she's been able

to work with. This is her home. No, it was her home. Catching her breath, she closes her eyes to imprint this in her brain forever. Still caught up with her silent farewell, Ryan and Javi emerge from observation and approach her.

With her moment over, she passes the lead detective baton to her hispanic brother.

"He's prepared to give a statement implicating his brother in both murders as well as the accident. Would you mind taking it? "

Before he can answer she hands Espo the file and walks past him toward the elevator. She has somewhere she needs to be.

-KB -RC -

Lying in bed he can hear the tumblers of the front door lock click. He prays it is Kate. Rolling onto his back, he adjusts his pillows, closes his eyes and hopes against hope it is her. He schools his breathing to assimilate sleep. It'shis grand  
plan not to scare her off.

She is fighting herself, coaxing herself into the building. Staving off the urge to turn back while waiting for the elevator. Trying to convince herself everything is alright while she is poised to rap on the door. Twodays ago  
she never given it a thought, just stick her key in and twist but tonight, after everything that went down tonight, she takes pause, looking for an invite instead of an assumption. She lost that right, that privilege.

Why could 't she just say yes. She really thought the honest answer was "not yet" but after the way the rest of the day shook out, she should have known better. He said always... He meant always. He would have made it work.

Tonight she needs him. Needs his comfort although she doesn't deserve it. She needshis essence to get her through the next twelve weeks until she can difinitively say yes. Fearing rejection, she steels herself against the enviable and twists open the lock and door knob.

Tossing her keys into the dish next to the door, Kate makes her way to the kitchen. She sure could use something to drink after this hellish day. A smile creases her lips as she spots a coffee cup and a bag. Inside she instinctively

knows there is a bear claw. Famished, she breaks off a piece to nibble on while generously filling her stemware with a rich merlot. Sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar, she indulges in her wine and pastry.

A long healthy yawn escapes so she checks the faceplate of her father's watch to see it is past one am. She slides off the stool and trudges to their bedroom, seeing Rick contently asleep she continued to the master bath. She desperately

needs to wash the day off her. A bath would be lovely at this time, she muses, but opts for the more practical shower. As the water warms, Kate puts her chestnut locks up into a messy bum, then brushed her teeth. Pulling the door

open, she enters the spacious stall. She allows the streams or water to cascade over her until they chill. Emerging from the stall, she makes quick work of drying herself, tossing on the robe Castle took home from the hotel in LA and returns

to the bedroom.

Taking one of his button down shirts from the dry cleaning pile, she slips in on and crawls into bed, snuggling into the crook of Castle's arm. Castle dared to open his eyes, humbled at the sight of the beauty next to him. Staring without

being caught, he stayed that way until she fell into a deep slumber.

His mind wandered, racing through so many thoughts. Then it hit him. Grabbing his phone, he pounded out a message:

"Lanie, I need to meet with you tomorrow"

 **NOTES:**

 **Manhattanhenge** — sometimes referred to as the **Manhattan Solstice** — is an event during which thesetting sunis aligned with the east–west streets of the main street grid ofManhattan,New York City. This occurs twice a year,  
/on dates evenly spaced around thesummer solstice. The first Manhattanhenge occurs around May 28, while the second occurs around July 12. So this is a real phenomenon, I just adjusted the timing by two weeks to fit the story. The picsonline

are amazing!


End file.
